Time signal



7 y 1952 w. DOERTENBACH ETAL 2,504,753

TIME SIGNAL Filed May 29, 1950 2 Sl-IEETS-Sl-IEET 1 Fig.

William Boer/enbach John F. Keane IN V EN TORS W. DOERTENBACH ETAL TIME;swam.

July 29, 1952 2 WTSPSPEET 2 Filed May 29, 1950 William Doerrenbach JohnF. Keane INVENTORJ BY @wm Q a z 0 I m I v li .l. w m v v J N \Mw I .E WmM m .1 I I I w L w RN Q Patented July 29, 1952 TIME SIGNAL WilliamDoertenbach, Pueblo, and John F. Keane, Parkdale, 0010.

Application May 29, 1950, Serial No. 164,998

, 4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in time signalsand the primary object of the present invention is to provide a timesignal, carried on ones person, and used in conjunction with a parkingmeter to indicate a warning that the parking period has expired.

Another very important object of the present invention is to provide atime signal of the wrist or pocket type wherein a bell will be rung fora predetermined period of time to indicate to the user that he mustreturn to the parking meter adjacent which his car is parked.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a signal devicethat is quickly and readily applied to well known interval timers ortime mechanisms without in any way harmfully affecting" the normalstructure or operation of such mechanisms.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a time signalthat is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable inuse, small and compact in structure, neat and attractive in appearance,inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposesfor which the same is intended.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present invention; I

Figure 21s a group perspective View of the present invention showing thecover removed from the case;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the planeof section line 3-3 of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the planeof section line 4-4 of Figure 3; and,

Figure 5 is a perspectiveview of the brake member used in conjunctionwith the present invention and the rack bar carried thereby.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose ofillustration, there is disclosed a' preferred embodiment, of the presentinvention, the numeral It) represents a wellknown interval timer or timemechanism having the usual spring driven shaft I2, a latch member 14that is swingable about its pivot 16, and a substantially L-shaped brakemember l8 that is swingable about a pivot 20 extending through its apex.

An extension 22 projects from the apex of the brake member l8 andreceives one eye terminal of a coil spring 24. The other end of the coilspring embraces a hook 26 on the latch member l4 and urges the enlargednotched end portion 28 of the shorter leg 30 for the L-shaped member l8against a lateral finger 32 on the latch member 14, as shown in Figure3.

The spring 24 normally urges the end portion 28 against the finger 32with the brake member l8 in its brake releasing position, but as thelatch I4 is moved out of engagement with the end portion 28, the legportion swings past the latch member [4, due to the function of thespring 24, and the member l8 isurged to its brake applying position. Thebrake member I8 supports the usual pawl (not shown) that will engage oneof the driven gears (not shown) of the mechanism In to arrest operationof the mechanism as the brake member is moved to its brake applyingposition.

The shaft l2 supports a laterally projecting actuator finger 34 thatwill ride against an abutment 36 on a swinging arm 38 to impart swingingmovement to the arm 38 after the shaft I2 has rotated apredetermined'amount. The arm 38 supports a lug 40 that will rideagainst the latch member M to move the finger 32 away from the endportion 28 as the arm 38 is swung in response to finger 34 ridingagainst the abutment 36.

The above described mechanism I0 is mounted within a case 42 having apair of anchoring loops 44 that receive the inner ends of complementalwrist-strap sections 46 and 48. The sections 46 and 48 are adjustablyconnected by any suitable means, to retain the case upon a users wrist.The case 42 includes a removable cover 50 having a window opening 52 inwhich there is mounted a pointer 54 that will register with an indiciabearing disk 56. The disk 56 is formed with a square central opening 58that receives the square end 60 of the shaft 12.

The end 60 projects through an opening 62 in the cover and receives afinger knob '64 whereby the shaft [2 may be rotated to wind the mainspring acting on the shaft l2 and to bring a selected number on thedisk56 in registry with the pointer 54. V

The present invention does not attempt to claim the above knownconstruction but is merely a signal device to be used in conjunctiontherewith. The signal device includes a shaft 68 on which there isrotatably mounted a gear unit composed of a large gear 68 and a smallgear 18. The large gear 68 meshes with the small gear of an escapementmechanism 12 including an oscillating arm 14 having a striker 16 mountedthereon.

A bell 18 is mounted within the case 42 and more specifically the framework of the mechation to wind the main spring acting on the shaft i 2until the selected number on the dial 55 registers with the pointer 54.

As the main spring unwinds and rotates the shaft l2, the dial 56 and thefinger 34, the finger 34 will move the arm 38 to release the latchmember [4 with the brake member [3 and the spring will urge the brakemember 13 to its brake applying position.

The movement of the brake member to its brake applying position isgradual and the rack bar 82 must travel its length during which thealarm will be sounded. The length of the rack bar 82 is such as toactuate the striker and sound the bell T8 for approximately minutesgiving sufficient notice to the wearer to return to the parking meteradjacent his vehicle.

It is anticipated that the arm 15 be employed as a switch electricallyconnected to a signal whereby rocking of the arm 16 will alternatelymake and break the circuit to the signal.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of theconstruction, operation and advantages of the device will be quiteapparent to those skilled in this art.

A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shownand described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same isusceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of theinvention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a time mechanism including a spring driven shaft, a swingablelatch member, a swingable actuating member, a spring joining saidmembers and urging the actuating member into engagement with the latchmember and also urging the actuating member past the latch member as thelatch member is moved away from the actuating member, and an actuatorrotatable with the shaft for moving the latch member out of engagementwith the actuating member; and a signal device including a soundermechanism actuated by the actuating member as the actuating member ismoved away from said latch member by said spring, said mechanismincluding a reciprocating striker sequentially moved back and forthduring movement of the actuating member away from the latch member.

2. In a time mechanism including a spring driven shaft, a swingablelatch member, a swingmembers and urging the actuating member intoengagement with the latch member and also urging the actuating memberpast the latch member as the latch member is moved away from theactuating member, and an actuator rotatable with the shaft for movingthe latch member out of engagement with the actuating member; a signalcomprising a bell, a reciprocating striker for the bell, and gear meansactuated by the actuating member as the actuating member is moved bysaid spring past said last member for reciprocating said striker.

3. In a time mechanism including a spring driven shaft, a swingablelatch member, a swingable actuating member, a spring joining saidmembers and urging the actuating member into engagement with the latchmember and also urging the actuating member past the latch member as thelatch member is moved away from the actuating member, and an actuatorrotatable with the shaft for moving the latch member out of engagementwith the actuating member, a signal comprising a bell, a reciprocatingstriker for the bell including a pair of spaced parallel lugs, a gearhaving its teeth alternately engaging said lugs to oscillate saidstriker, further gears operatively connected to said first-named gear,and a rack bar carried by said actuating member engaging and drivingsaid further gears during movement of said brake member past said latchmember by said spring, said rack bar being relatively long to rotatesaid gears sufficiently to move the striker into and out of engagementwith the bell several times.

4. In a time mechanism including a spring driven shaft, a swingablelatch member, a swingable actuating member, a spring joining saidmembers and urging the members into latching engagement and also urgingthe actuating member past the latch member as the latter is moved awayfrom the actuating member, an actuator rotatable with the shaft formoving the latch member out of engagement with the actuating member, abell, a reciprocating striker for the bell, an operating mechanismconnected to the striker for reciprocating the striker and means carriedby the actuating member engaging and activating said operating mechanismafter the latch member has been disengaged with said actuating member.

WILLIAM DOERTEN'BACH. JOHN F. KEANE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,068,395 Schaumburg July 22,1913 1,213,516 Luttrell Jan. 23, 1917 2,258,474 Simmons Oct. 7, 19412,292,576 Lux Aug. 11, 1942

